Georgia

Tax Provisions

• In the State of the State speech, the governor announced a fourth, one-time, $1.0 billion tax rebate this year that will save the average filer $250 dollars and a married couple up to $500.
• Proposes a further 20-basis point reduction in the state’s personal and corporate income tax rate, bringing it to 4.99 percent. 

Educated Georgia

• Early care: 
  
  • Allocates funds for year three of a four-year phase-in to reduce Pre-K classroom size from 22 to 20 students.
• K-12 schools: 
  
  • Adds funds for enrollment growth and training and experience as well as to fund the state share of employer increases on certified educators who participate in the health insurance plan. 
  • Provides funds for growth in the State Commission Charter Schools Supplement and for additional local charter incentive grant funding to encourage growth of locally authorized charter schools.
  • Allocates funds for enrollment growth in the special needs scholarship and for the Pupil Transportation Grant. 
• Higher Education:
  
  • Provides additional funds to the University System of Georgia to reflect an increase in credit hour enrollment and to support expansion of graduate medical education.
  • Allocates additional funds for Dual Enrollment and to establish the Georgia Foster Care Scholarship.

Healthy Georgia

• Allocates funds for the Georgia Housing Voucher Program for 404 additional housing vouchers to achieve substantial compliance with and termination of the behavioral health requirements of a settlement agreement.
• Provides funds to support the state’s mental health crisis system through mobile crisis response teams and the 988 hotline.
• Directs funds for Medicaid and PeachCare, including for Medicare Part B premiums, Medicare Part D Clawback, and skilled nursing centers.
• Adds funds to reflect a reduction in the SNAP administrative reimbursement from 50 percent to 25 percent.
• Allocates funds for a SNAP payment accuracy innovation effort to reduce the SNAP payment error rate.
• Provides funds to expand the maternal home visiting program to an additional 21 counties to increase access to maternal fetal medicine in rural communities. 

Safe Georgia

• Allocates funds for additional correctional officer positions to improve staff to offender ratios.
• Provides funds for operations of five modular correctional units and for increases to health contracts to increase staffing ratios, a per diem increase, and to reflect the opening of additional beds.
• Directs funds for three new special agent positions at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and to annualize three human trafficking positions.
• Provides funds to establish the State Law Enforcement Officers defined contribution retirement plan. Under this new model, the state will provide a higher match to the 401(k) savings accounts of eligible public safety officers’ through a steeper contribution schedule.

Other Priorities

• Adds staff to reduce collection delinquency and replenish the Unemployment Trust Fund along with financial auditors to prevent unemployment insurance fraud.
• Utilizes bond funds for major renovations and improvements at State Parks and department facilities.
• Provides additional lottery funds for the HOPE scholarships and grants to meet the projected need.